Application for leave by person subject to vexatious litigant order to commence proceedings against her former husband. Citations: [2006] EWHC 2727 (Admin) Links: Bailii Statutes: Supreme Court Act 1981 42(1) Jurisdiction: England and Wales Litigation Practice Updated: 12 April 2022; Ref: scu.246355
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Application on behalf of the Attorney General for a civil proceedings order Citations: [2004] EWHC 222 (Admin) Links: Bailii Statutes: Supreme Court Act 1981 41 Litigation Practice Updated: 08 October 2022; Ref: scu.193934
Application for Civil proceedings order Judges: Henriques Mr Justice Henriques Lord Justice Dyson Citations: [2004] EWHC 1952 (Admin) Links: Bailii Statutes: Supreme Court Act 1981 41 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Litigation Practice Updated: 29 August 2022; Ref: scu.200306
Application for vexatious litigant order. Citations: [2006] EWHC 3484 (Admin) Links: Bailii Statutes: Supreme Court Act 1981 41 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Litigation Practice Updated: 09 July 2022; Ref: scu.249138
Application for vexatious litigant order. Judges: Langstaff J Citations: [2006] EWHC 2207 (Admin) Links: Bailii Statutes: Supreme Court Act 1981 41 Litigation Practice Updated: 08 July 2022; Ref: scu.246770
Application for leave to appeal against vexatious litigant order. Citations: [2001] EWCA Civ 1981 Links: Bailii Statutes: Supreme Court Act 1981 41 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Litigation Practice Updated: 27 June 2022; Ref: scu.218620
Application for vexatious litigant order Citations: [2003] EWHC 3190 (Admin) Links: Bailii Statutes: Supreme Court Act 1981 41 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Litigation Practice Updated: 08 June 2022; Ref: scu.191219
Citations: [2003] EWHC 2930 (Admin) Links: Bailii Statutes: Supreme Court Act 1981 41 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Litigation Practice Updated: 08 June 2022; Ref: scu.189120
The court refused leave to appeal from the High Court. It would be absurd if, when an order was made restricting commencement of proceedings by a vexatious litigant, that the High Court should not have power to restrain by the same order also commencement of proceedings in the County Court. Judges: Lord Woolf LCJ Citations: … Continue reading Ebert v Venvill (Trustee In Bankruptcy); Woolf; Midland Bank Plc and Rabinowicz (a Solicitor): CA 5 Jul 1999
A civil proceedings order was sought against the respondent. The respondent had commenced many actions against a particular company, which it was claimed were vindictive in nature. Held: Though the earliest proceedings had been vexatious it was not possible to characterise more recent attempts to litigate as such. ‘An improper motive may convert an otherwise … Continue reading HM Attorney-General v Ian Richard Flack: Admn 29 Nov 2000
Citations: [1998] EWHC Admin 408 Links: Bailii Statutes: Supreme Court Act 1981 41 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Cited by: See Also – Drozdowski v Department of Public Prosecutions Admn 8-Oct-1998 A parking ticket had wrongly identified the town in which the ticket was issued, and the ticket described the offence as ‘No Waiting’ where the … Continue reading HM Attorney General v Drozdowski: Admn 6 Apr 1998
Application by the Attorney General for a Civil Proceedings Order pursuant to section 42 of the Supreme Court Act 1981 (‘the 1981 Act’) against M. . .
Application by the claimant seeking a civil proceedings order against the defendant . .
A slot charterer had a right in a ship, even if only of a part of the ship, and so a claim under the agreement to arrest a sister ship of the chartering company could be heard within the Admiralty Court’s jurisdiction. Judges: Moore-Bick VP CA, Tomlinson LJJ, Keehan J Citations: Times 30-Apr-1999, Gazette 06-May-1999, … Continue reading MSC Mediterranean Shipping Co Sa v Polish Ocean Lines (The Tychy): CA 31 Mar 1999
Dr M had successfully challenged her dismissal and recovered damages for unfair dismissal and race discrimination. In the interim, Her employer HA had reported the dismissal to the respondent who continued their proceedings despite the decision in her favour. The GMC now said that the availability of judicial review excluded her right to commence proceedings … Continue reading Michalak v General Medical Council and Others: SC 1 Nov 2017
No Judicial Review of Decisions of Private Body Despite the wide range of its powers, the disciplinary committee of the Jockey Club remains a domestic tribunal. Judicial review is not available to a member. The relationship is in contract between the club and its member. Sir Thomas Bingham MR said: ‘No serious racecourse management, owner, … Continue reading Regina v Disciplinary Committee of the Jockey Club, ex parte Aga Khan: CA 4 Dec 1992
The builders had obtained a charging order for the costs awarded to them in extensive litigation, and a third party costs order but without the third party having opportunity to test the bill delivered. They had agreed to sell land to the defendant, but he had required the transfer to be in a different form … Continue reading Nelson v Greening and Sykes (Builders) Ltd: CA 18 Dec 2007
The Court has no power under the Supreme Court Act to award interest on damages sums recoverable by the Plaintiff but which had been paid before the commencement of proceedings Judges: Waller LJ Citations: Times 28-May-1998, Gazette 17-Jun-1998, [1998] EWCA Civ 862, [1998] 3 WLR 457, [1999] QB 297, [1998] 3 All ER 203 Links: … Continue reading I M Properties Plc v Cape and Dalgleish (a Firm): CA 20 May 1998
The insurer appealed against an order requiring it to disclose all policies of insurance and associated documents relating to the policy under which a claim was being made. Held: A claim for an indemnity under a contract of insurance though in respect of personal injuries was not itself an action for damages for personal injuries … Continue reading Burns v Shuttlehurst Limited and McGroarty General Accident Fire and Life Assurance Corporation Plc: CA 24 Apr 1998
The respondent had been subject first to a Grepe v Loam order and then to an extended civil restraint order. The court had still faced many hopeless applications. An order was now sought that any future application for permission to appeal be heard by a nominated judge, and any oter application should be heard first … Continue reading Attorney General v Perotti: Admn 10 May 2006
Application for civil proceedings order. Citations: [2006] EWHC 901 (Admin) Links: Bailii Statutes: Supreme Court Act 1981 42 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Litigation Practice Updated: 12 November 2022; Ref: scu.241729
The claimant had produced the Star War films which made use of props, in particular a ‘Stormtrooper’ helmet designed by the defendant. The defendant had then himself distributed models of the designs he had created. The appellant obtained judgment against the respondent in the US for punitive damages, but these had not been collected, and … Continue reading Lucasfilm Ltd and Others v Ainsworth and Another: SC 27 Jul 2011
Judges: Gibson LJ, Citations: [2002] EWCA Civ 417 Links: Bailii Statutes: Supreme Court Act 1981 51, Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 5 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Costs, Landlord and Tenant Updated: 13 October 2022; Ref: scu.216971
The first applicant had been chairman of a jury and had expressed his concerns about their behaviour to the second applicant who published them. They were prosecuted under the 1981 Act. They had said that no details of the deliberations had been revealed and that the articles had been general in nature. The main concern … Continue reading Seckerson and Times Newspapers Ltd v The United Kingdom: ECHR 24 Jan 2012
A bond contained an arbitration clause subject to a further clause giving the claimant an ‘exclusive right at its option to apply to the courts of England to settle any disputes which may arise out of or in connection with these presents’. The defendants started an arbitration challenging the claimant’s assertion that events of default … Continue reading Law Debenture Trust Corporation Plc v Elektrim Finance Bv and others: ChD 1 Jul 2005
The claimants were involved in a group litigation with regard to the removal of organs without consent from deceased children. The defendant sought an order capping the costs which might be claimed. Held: In GLO cases the desirability of ensuring that costs are kept within bounds makes it unnecessary for the court to require exceptional … Continue reading A B and others v Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust: QBD 9 May 2003
A had been chairman of the claimant bank. After removal, A fled to the UK, obtaining asylum. The bank then claimed embezzlement, and was sentenced for contempt after failing to disclose assets when ordered, but fled the UK. The Appellant, K, was A’s son-in-law living in Switzerland. It was claimed that he had assisted A … Continue reading JSC BTA Bank v Khrapunov: SC 21 Mar 2018
The plaintiff sought orders to assist it in tracing the product of a cargo of oil, delivery of which was alleged to have been obtained from the plaintiff without the production of bills of lading, Mr. Justice Mocatta had made a sweeping order requiring directors and an employee of the defendant company to make full … Continue reading Mediterranea Reffineria Siciliana Petroli SpA v Mabanaft GmbH: CA 2 Jan 1978
The claimant alleged complicity by the defendant, (now former) Foreign Secretary, in his mistreatment by the US while held in Libya. He also alleged involvement in his unlawful abduction and removal to Libya, from which had had fled for political persecution. The defendants now appealed from rejection of the defendants’ claim to state immunity and … Continue reading Belhaj and Another v Straw and Others: SC 17 Jan 2017
The government of Spain had issued an arrest warrant and application for extradition in respect of Pinochet Ugarte for his alleged crimes whilst president of Chile. He was arrested in England. He pleaded that he had immunity from prosecution. Held: A head of state’s immunity from prosecution extends only to official acts performed in exercise … Continue reading Regina v Bartle and The Commissioner Of Police For The Metropolis and Others Ex Parte Pinochet Ugarte, Regina v Evans and Another and The Commissioner of Police For The Metropolis and Others (No 1): HL 22 Nov 1998
The claimant faced removal and return to Palestine, but he said that he would not be accepted if returned. He had no ID card, birth certificate or living parents. He appealed against the decision of the IAT and now again from the Court of Appeal which said that there was no immigration decision within section … Continue reading MS (Palestinian Territories) v Secretary of State for The Home Department: SC 16 Jun 2010
The Court was asked whether an employee’s remuneration is taxable as his or her emoluments or earnings when it is paid to a third party in circumstances in which the employee had no prior entitlement to receive it himself or herself. Held: The company’s appeal failed. The purposive approach to the interpretation of the general … Continue reading RFC 2012 Plc (Formerly The Rangers Football Club Plc) v Advocate General for Scotland: SC 5 Jul 2017
The court was asked: ‘Was it unlawful for the Secretary of State for Health, the respondent, who had power to make provisions for the functioning of the National Health Service in England, to have failed to make a provision which would have enabled women who were citizens of the UK, but who were usually resident … Continue reading A and B, Regina (on The Application of) v Secretary of State for Health: SC 14 Jun 2017
The court considered whether a defendant should be allowed to pay his debts as they fell due despite an asset freezing order. Held: The Mareva jurisdiction should not ‘improve the position of claimants’. Rather, it should prevent the injustice of a defendant removing his assets from the jurisdiction which may have otherwise been available to … Continue reading Iraqi Ministry of Defence and Others v Arcepey Shipping Co SA, The Angel Bell: 1980
Prerogative act of prorogation was justiciable. The Prime Minister had prorogued Parliament for a period of five weeks, leaving only a short time for Parliament to debate and act the forthcoming termination of the membership by the UK of the EU. The Scottish Court had decided (Cherry) that the prorogation was void being for impermissible … Continue reading Miller, Regina (on the Application of) v The Prime Minister; Cherry QC v Lord Advocate: SC 24 Sep 2019
The plaintiffs said the first defendant had defrauded them of substantial sums, and implicated other defendants. They claimed against five defendants variously for conspiracy to defraud and deceit and for breach of warranty. They also sought to trace the sum of andpound;383,872 paid under a mistake of fact induced by fraud, into an account with … Continue reading A v C (Note): ChD 1980
The claimant police officer complained of an alleged defamation in an article published by the defendant. The defendant wished to obtain information from the IPCC to show that they were investigating the matter as a credible issue. The court considered applications relating to the disclosure of private materials given to the Independent Police Complaints Commission … Continue reading Flood v Times Newspapers Ltd and others: QBD 5 Mar 2009
Application for third party costs order. Judges: David Richards J Citations: [2008] EWHC 939 (Ch) Links: Bailii Statutes: Supreme Court Act 1981 51 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Costs Updated: 18 July 2022; Ref: scu.267418
The defendant sought a wasted costs order against the claimant’s solicitors. Judges: Field J Citations: [2007] EWHC 1656 (QB), [2007] PNLR 31 Links: Bailii Statutes: Supreme Court Act 1981 51(6) Jurisdiction: England and Wales Costs Updated: 17 July 2022; Ref: scu.347410
The defendant appealed convictions for breaches of its waste management licence, in that waste had been stored outside the edges of the storage bays. The defendant said that the material had not yet been stored, and that it had been deposited by neighbouring farmers and was to be stored properly during the working day. Held: … Continue reading Skipaway Ltd v The Environment Agency: Admn 5 May 2006
The applicants sought judicial review of the respondent’s decision to support the application for admission to the Eurorpean Community of Cyprus. Held: Leave was refused: ‘the independence of Cyprus since 17th August 1960 forecloses any power in the United Kingdom courts to entertain issues which do not merely touch upon but are inseparable from the … Continue reading Regina v Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs ex parte British Council of Turkish Cypriot Associations and Another: Admn 19 Mar 1998
Challenge to decision not to prosecute senior Intelligence Service officials for alleged offences in connection with his unlawful rendition and mistreatment in Libya. The issue here was whether on the hearing of the application for judicial review, it would be open to the Court to receive closed material disclosed only to the court and a … Continue reading Belhaj and Another v Director of Public Prosecutions and Another: SC 4 Jul 2018
False Imprisonment Damages / Immigration Detention The respondent had held the claimant in custody, but had failed to follow its own procedures. The claimant appealed against the rejection of his claim of false imprisonment. He had overstayed his immigration leave, and after convictions had served a prison sentence. When about to be released, an order … Continue reading Kambadzi (previously referred to as SK (Zimbabwe)) v Secretary of State for The Home Department: SC 25 May 2011
The defendants appealed against an order that a defamation trial should proced before a judge alone. Held: ‘Where the parties, or one of them, is a public figure, or there are matters of national interest in question, this would suggest the need for a jury trial; but a question relating to a person’s ‘fitness for … Continue reading Right Hon Aitken MP and Preston; Pallister and Guardian Newspapers Ltd: CA 15 May 1997
The making of an order allowing the plaintiff’s to execute a search on the other party’s premises is in effect part of the process of discovery. Templeman J discussed the making of such orders ex parte: ‘if it appears that the object of the plaintiffs’ litigation will be unfairly and improperly frustrated by the very … Continue reading EMI v Pandit: ChD 3 Dec 1974
The court made a Mareva order with ancillary disclosure orders for the purpose of enabling the plaintiffs to trace property acquired by the defendant and so take steps to seize that property if it derived from their assets. Judges: Templeman J Citations: Unreported, 26 May 1978 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Cited by: Cited – A … Continue reading London and County Securities Ltd v Caplin: ChD 26 May 1978
The plaintiffs were Indian Chiefs from Canada. They complained that the 1982 Act which granted independence to Canada, had been passed without their consent, which they said was required. They feared the loss of rights embedded by historical treaties. The Attorney General sought the strike out of the claims. Held: The application for a strike … Continue reading Manuel and Others v Attorney-General; Noltcho and Others v Attorney-General: ChD 7 May 1982
The appellants were barristers against whom wasted costs orders had been made. They appealed. They had made allegations of fraud in pleadings, but without being able to provide evidence to support the allegation. This was itself a breach of the Bar Council Code of Practice. Held: A barrister must not draft a pleading containing an … Continue reading Medcalf v Mardell, Weatherill and Another: HL 27 Jun 2002
Application by KAC, Kuwait Airways Corporation, for an order pursuant to Section 51 of the Supreme Court Act 1981, and to CPR part 48.2, that the costs of four actions, namely 1991 folio 69 and 2587, 2000 folio 1137 and 2003 folio 223, all of which had been brought by the claimant, KAC, against Iraqi … Continue reading Kuwait Airways Corporation v Iraqi Airways Company: TCC 16 Jul 2008
Each defendant had appealed. The appeals had been heard but the decisions not announced. One of the judges, Lord Justice Kay died. Held: It was not open to the remaining judges to announce their decisions, whatever discussions had taken place before His Lordhsip’s death. The jurisdiction of the court was statutory, and that jurisdiction required … Continue reading Regina v Coates; Regina v Graves; Regina v Terry: CACD 30 Jul 2004
Parliament’s Approval if statute rights affected In a referendum, the people had voted to leave the European Union. That would require a notice to the Union under Article 50 TEU. The Secretary of State appealed against an order requiring Parliamentary approval before issuing the notice, he saying that the notice could be given under the … Continue reading Miller and Another, Regina (on The Application of) v Secretary of State for Exiting The European Union: SC 24 Jan 2017
The appellant sought to enforce a international arbitration award against the respondent. The award was made under an arrangement which later became unlawful on Romania’s accession to the EU, and Romania obtained s stay pending resolution by the CJEU. Held: The stay was lifted. Judges: Lady Hale, Lord Reed, Lord Hodge, Lord Lloyd-Jones, Lord Sales … Continue reading Micula and Others v Romania: SC 19 Feb 2020
The power in the section embraced the grant of an injunction ‘in any case where it would be right or just to do so’. Judges: Sir George Jessel MR Citations: (1878) 9 ChD 89 Statutes: Judicature Act of 1873 25 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Cited by: Applied – Rasu Maritima SA v Perusahaan (the Pertamina) … Continue reading Beddow v Beddow: CA 1878
The firm of solicitors challenged a wasted costs order. The order had been made on the basis that they had persisted with a case which the court had told them was misconceived, and had acted despite a conflict of interest. The order had been made under unusual circumstances on appeal from the original costs order. … Continue reading Fitzhugh Gates (A Firm) v Claudia Louise Elaine Borden Sherman: CA 1 Jul 2003
The claimant sought an order restraining the defendants from pursuing a claim in America. The parties were party to a contract governed by English law, but the allegation was one of fraud, and the defendants said this was outside the provisions of the contract. Held: Where a remedy was available both in England and in … Continue reading Roger Thomas Donohue v Armco Inc and others: CA 29 Mar 2000
The defendants sought relief for transactions entered into at an undervalue. The bankrupt had entered into charges and an assignment of a loan account in their favour before his bankruptcy, and the trustee had obtained an order for them to be set aside as a fraud on his creditors. Held: To have such orders set … Continue reading Hill (As Trustee In Bankruptcy of Nurkowski) v Spread Trustee Company Ltd and Another: CA 12 May 2006
(US Supreme Court) Underhill, a US citizen, had constructed a waterworks in Bolivar for the government which was eventually overthrown by revolutionary forces, one of whose generals was Hernandez. After Hernandez had captured Bolivar, Underhill sought to leave. Hernandez refused the request and confined Underhill to his house, in order to coerce Underhill into continuing … Continue reading Underhill v Hernandez: 29 Nov 1897
The tax payer complained that the Permanent Secretary for Tax had, in an off the record briefing disclosed tax details regarding a film investment scheme. Despite the off the record basis, details were published in a newspaper. His claims had been rejected at first instance and at the court of appeal. Held: The taxpayer’s appeal … Continue reading Ingenious Media Holdings Plc and Another, Regina (on The Application of) v Revenue and Customs: SC 19 Oct 2016
Citations: [1997] EWHC Admin 296 Statutes: Supreme Court Act 1981 42 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Litigation Practice Updated: 11 May 2022; Ref: scu.137241
(Supreme Court of Victoria) Dumbrell had induced shareholders in companies running a business to sell their shares to him. He represented that he would run the business himself. The shareholders had a strong preference to have Dumbrell, rather than an unknown third party, run the business and for that reason sold their shares at an … Continue reading Jones v Dumbrell: 21 Feb 1968
Judges: Lord Finlay LC Citations: (1917) 34 TLR 39 Cited by: Cited – A J Bekhor and Co Ltd v Bilton CA 6-Feb-1981 The plaintiff had applied for disclosure of assets under the Rules of the Supreme Court in support of a Mareva freezing order. The rules were held not to provide any such power: … Continue reading Blair v Haycock Cattle Co: 1917
An English court does have power to order a non-resident non-party to contribute to the costs of a case, where that party was domiciled in a convention country. Here the third party was alleged to be the alter ego of the actual party. There was no requirement to have sued that third party first under … Continue reading National Justice Compania Naviera Sa v Prudential Assurance Co Ltd (No 2): CA 15 Oct 1999
The appellant’s land was to be taken under compulsory purchase by the Council who wished to use it to assist Tesco in the construction of a new supermarket. Tesco promised to help fund restoration of a local listed building. Sainsbury objected an now appealed against the Court of Appeal’s overturning of the orer in its … Continue reading Sainsbury’s Supermarkets Ltd, Regina (on The Application of) v Wolverhampton City Council and Another: SC 12 May 2010
The court was asked whether, anticipating substantial growth, a local authority had power to attach to permissions for development conditions intended to recover sums for pooled fund for infrastructure development. Held: The appeal failed. Approved strategic development plans and their supplementary guidance are of substantial importance to planning decisions. A planning obligation may be entered … Continue reading Aberdeen City and Shire Strategic Development Planning Authority v Elsick Development Company Limited: SC 25 Oct 2017
The plaintiff film companies accused the defendants of pirating their films. They obtained Anton Piller orders which required the defendants to permit the plaintiffs to enter their premises to inspect and remove any unauthorised films, and three defendants were to disclose: (a) cassette supplier and customer details; (b) invoices; and (c) the whereabouts of pirate … Continue reading Rank Film Distributors v Video Information Centre: CA 1980
The jurisdiction to make an asset freezing injunction applies though the defendant is not a foreigner or foreign based. Its essence is to reduce the risk of the defendant removing his assets from the jurisdiction and so stultifying any judgment given by the courts in the action. Citations: [1980] 1 WLR 1259 Jurisdiction: England and … Continue reading Barclay-Johnson v Yuill: 1980
The applicant sought to bring an action to challenge new rules on approval of export credit guarantees. The company was non-profit and founded to support investigation of bribery. It had applied for a protected costs order to support the application, and now appealed its refusal. Held: The court restated the practice on the making of … Continue reading Corner House Research, Regina (on the Application of) v Secretary of State for Trade and Industry: CA 1 Mar 2005
(High Court of Australia) Two orders for the payment of costs had been made against the receivers and managers of the claimant in the action, Forest Pty Ltd, and the defendant to a counterclaim brought by the defendants to the action, Howe Corporation Pty Ltd. An order for security for costs had been made against … Continue reading Knight v FP Special Assets Ltd: 25 Jun 1992
Section 45 of the 1925 Act gives the court a very wide discretion to grant an injunction. Judges: Lord Denning MR Citations: [1978] 1 QB 644 Statutes: Supreme Court of Judicature (Consolidation) Act 1925 45 Citing: Applied – Beddow v Beddow CA 1878 The power in the section embraced the grant of an injunction ‘in … Continue reading Rasu Maritima SA v Perusahaan (the Pertamina): CA 1978
In an application for a vexatious litigant order, the court asked whether the repetitious proceedings must be against the same defendant. Lord Justice Rose: ‘The question is whether it is a necessary prerequisite for the making of an order under section 42 that the repetitious behaviour of which complaint is made has necessarily either to … Continue reading Attorney-General v Covey: QBD 6 Oct 2000
Limits to Police Exemption from Liability The claimant, an elderly lady was bowled over and injured when police were chasing a suspect through the streets. As they arrested him they fell over on top of her. She appealed against refusal of her claim in negligence. Held: Her appeal succeeded. It is normally only in a … Continue reading Robinson v Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police: SC 8 Feb 2018
An application was made without notice for the appointment of an alleged creditor under section 116 as administrator of the deceased’s intestate estate. Held: The court applied the standard principles of an enhanced duty of disclosure in without notice applications in probate actions. Lawrence Collins QC [2000] WTLR 1175 Supreme Court Act 1981 116 England … Continue reading Shepherd v Wheeler: ChD 2000
The Court considered the quantification of damages to be awarded to a business suffering under riots under the 1886 Act, and in particular whether such recoverable losses included compensation for consequential losses, including loss of profits and loss of rent, under section 2 of the 1886 Act, and if so on what basis. Held: MOPC’s … Continue reading The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime v Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co (Europe) Ltd and Others: SC 20 Apr 2016
The court was asked as to the extent of an exclusive prescriptive right (ie an exclusive right obtained through a long period of use) to take cockles and mussels from a stretch of the foreshore on the east side of the Wash, on the west coast of Norfolk. Over time the various water marks had … Continue reading Lynn Shellfish Ltd and Others v Loose and Another: SC 13 Apr 2016
The 2003 Act had been intended to make provision for those who had been in long term mental health carse, but would not need such continued are but were not either ready to survive without continuing support in the community. The claimant had been convicted of serious sexual and violent offences and detained under a … Continue reading G v Scottish Ministers and Another: SC 18 Dec 2013
The pension scheme had been approved, but that approval later withdraw. HMRC issued assessment for the years in which it had been approved. The taxpayer argued that such assessments applied to the date with effect from which the approval is withdraw, HMRC contended that it was in the year in which withdrawal was notified. The … Continue reading John Mander Pension Trustees Ltd v Revenue and Customs: SC 29 Jul 2015
Ban on Prisoners talking to Journalists unlawful The two prisoners, serving life sentences for murder, had had their appeals rejected. They continued to protest innocence, and sought to bring their campaigns to public attention through the press, having oral interviews with journalists without undertakings from the journalists not to publish any element of the interview. … Continue reading Regina v Secretary of State for The Home Department Ex Parte Simms: HL 8 Jul 1999
The claimants objected to orders made freezing their assets under the 2006 Order, after being included in the Consolidated List of suspected members of terrorist organisations. Held: The orders could not stand. Such orders were made by the executive without parliamentary scrutiny by the use of Orders in Council. Statutory provision for counter-terrorism was in … Continue reading HM Treasury v Ahmed and Others: SC 27 Jan 2010
Objection had been made that a plan, used to register a right of way before it would disappear if un-registered, was to the wrong scale and that therefore the application was ineffetive. Held: The Council’s appeal failed. The plan was too large a scale, and that could not invalidate the application. The only question is … Continue reading Trail Riders Fellowship and Another, Regina (on The Application of) v Dorset County Council: SC 18 Mar 2015
The defendant appealed against an order for his extradition to the USA to face extra-territorial terrorist charges. Held: The court dismissed the appeal: ‘whether the appellant is a British citizen or not makes no difference to his relevant Article 6 rights. Our reasons are as follows: the ECtHR has stated many times that a decision … Continue reading Pham v The United States of America: Admn 12 Dec 2014
The parties had arbitrated their dispute in London under a bilateral investment treaty between the US and Ecuador. The republic sought to appeal the arbitration. The applicant now appealed an order that the English High Court had jurisdiction to hear the appeal. Held: The appeal was dismissed. The treaty was intended to encourage bilateral trading … Continue reading Occidental Exploration and Production Company vRepublic of Ecuador: CA 9 Sep 2005
Land had been registered in part as a common. The council appealed. Held: The rights pre-existing the Act had not been lost. The presumption against retrospectively disapplying vested rights applied, and the application had properly been made. The claimant was entitled to register part only of the area of land original included. An application was … Continue reading Oxfordshire County Council v Oxford City Council, Catherine Mary Robinson: ChD 22 Jan 2004
A Dutch national detained in hospital complained that his detention had divested him of his capacity to administer his property, and thus there had been determination of his civil rights and obligations without the guarantee of a judicial procedure. Held: Article 5(1)(a) is concerned with the question whether the detention is permissible. Its object and … Continue reading Winterwerp v The Netherlands: ECHR 24 Oct 1979
The claimant challenged the Order as regards the prescription of the morning-after pill, asserting that the pill would cause miscarriages, and that therefore the use would be an offence under the 1861 Act. Held: ‘SPUC’s case is that any interference with a fertilised egg, if it leads to the loss of the egg, involves the … Continue reading Regina (Smeaton) v Secretary of State for Health and Others: Admn 18 Apr 2002
The defendants appealed against their convictions for murder, saying that their defences of duress had been wrongly disallowed. Held: Duress is not a defence available on a charge of murder. When a defence of duress is raised, the test is whether the threat was so serious as would cause a reasonable man in the same … Continue reading Regina v Howe etc: HL 19 Feb 1986
Limitations to Judicial Reviw of Upper Tribunal Three claimants sought to challenge decisions of various Upper Tribunals by way of judicial review. In each case the request for judicial review had been first refused on the basis that having been explicitly designated as higher courts, the proper scope of judicial review was limited or excluded. … Continue reading Cart v The Upper Tribunal: SC 21 Jun 2011
(First Division, Inner House) The reclaimer challenged dismissal of her claim for review of the recent decision for the prorogation of the Parliament at Westminster. Held: Reclaim was granted. The absence of reasons allowed the court to infer that the reason for the prorogation was unlawful.‘It was the role of the courts to protect Parliament. … Continue reading Cherry, Reclaiming Motion By Joanna Cherry QC MP and Others v The Advocate General: SCS 11 Sep 2019
‘The question in this case is whether the appellant falls within the scope of section 193 of the Housing Act 1996 as amended, which applies, by virtue of subsection (1), where the local housing authority are satisfied that ‘an applicant is homeless, eligible for assistance and has a priority need, and are not satisfied that … Continue reading Haile v London Borough of Waltham Forest: SC 20 May 2015
The police went to the defendant’s flat to find her boyfriend. She refused them access, but when they saw him, the police officers called out that he was under arrest under the 1995 Act, and forced their way past the door and the defendant. The defendant appealed her conviction under the 1967 Act. Held: The … Continue reading Gillies v Procurator Fiscal, Elgin: HCJ 1 Oct 2008
The House sought to reconcile section 31 of the 1981 Act, with RSC Order 53 r4 as to the time within which judicial review proceedings must be brought. Held: Whenever there was a failure to act promptly or within three months there was ‘undue delay’ within the meaning of section 31(6). Lord Goff said: ‘as … Continue reading Regina v Dairy Produce Quota Tribunal for England and Wales, Ex parte Caswell: HL 17 May 1990
Private prosecution discontinuance criminal matter The claimant sought judicial review of a decision by the defendant to take over and discontinue his private prosecution. He now sought to appeal against rejection of his request. Held: The decision had been a decision in a criminal cause or matter, and as such, an appeal lay only (save … Continue reading Thakrar v Crown Prosecution Service: CA 21 May 2019
E complained that his exclusion from admission to the school had been racially discriminatory. The school applied an Orthodox Jewish religious test which did not count him as Jewish because of his family history. Held: The school’s appeal failed. English law may be at fault because it made no allowance for any justification of direct … Continue reading E, Regina (on The Application of) v Governing Body of JFS and Another: SC 16 Dec 2009
Court of Appeal’s powers limited to those Given The jurisdiction of the Court of Appeal is wholly statutory; it is appellate only. The court has no original jurisdiction. It has no jurisdiction itself to entertain any original application for judicial review; it has appellate jurisdiction over judgments and orders of the High Court made by … Continue reading In re Racal Communications Ltd; In Re a Company: HL 3 Jul 1980
The principal claimants sold the rights to take photographs of their wedding to a co-claimant magazine (OK). Persons acting on behalf of the defendants took unauthorised photographs which the defendants published. The claimants had retained joint copyright over the photographs and reserved a right to control publication of any particular photographs. In return they made … Continue reading Douglas and others v Hello! Ltd and others (No 3): CA 18 May 2005
Taxpayer companies challenged the way that the revenue restricted claims for group Corporation Tax relief for subsidiary companies in Europe. The issue was awaiting a decision of the European Court. The Revenue said that the claims now being made by other companies should proceed through the Commissioners who could implement European law directly. The taxpayers … Continue reading Autologic Holdings Plc and others v Commissioners of Inland Revenue: HL 28 Jul 2005
The claimant sought discharge of a declaration that she was a vexatious litigant. The order had been made in 2006. Held: The claimant had persisted with attempts to litigate speculative matters. The claim was rejected: ‘The Applicant’s recent attempts at litigation, right up to last year, demonstrate that her propensity for vexatious litigation remains. I … Continue reading Douglas v HM Attorney General and Others: Admn 15 Dec 2015
The trustees had contracted to sell shares in a private company held within the estate. A family member now claimed that they were held in trust after a settlement of a possible challenge to the will based in lack of testamentary capacity and undue influence. The trustees requested the court to determine the trusts on … Continue reading Jones and others v Firkin-Flood: ChD 17 Oct 2008
(Grand Chamber) The applicants complained that on being arrested on suspicion of offences, samples of their DNA had been taken, but then despite being released without conviction, the samples had retained on the Police database. Held: (Unanimous) The retention was unlawful. Though other member states retained some DNA samples in certain conditions, the UK was … Continue reading Marper v United Kingdom; S v United Kingdom: ECHR 4 Dec 2008
Guidance for Wasted Costs Orders Guidance was given on the circumstances required for the making of wasted costs orders against legal advisers. A judge invited to make an order arising out of an advocate’s conduct of court proceedings must make full allowance for the fact that an advocate has to make decisions quickly and under … Continue reading Ridehalgh v Horsefield; Allen v Unigate Dairies Ltd: CA 26 Jan 1994